What a week – Journalism Open 2013 submissions are in, so all of our contributors can kick back and relax this weekend. Before you rush out to stock up on burgers, beer and bean dip, take a minute to make sure you didn't miss anything on The Sacramento Press. This week's top content below. Community Contribution: 5. Old and young jitterbug together in intergenerational program by Nancy Flagg, photos by Phil Kemp 4. Opinion: A pre-show fiasco at Shawn Colvin by Steve Martarano 3. Verge Center for the Arts poised to push limits by Stephania Erkenbrecher, photos by Phil Kemp 2. Opinion re: City to vote on medical cannabis ordinance Jan. 29 by Ron Mullins 1. Local chef on ABC's 'The Tas

Wicked 'Wich isn't quite a household name, but if its owners have their way, eventually not only will those in the Sacramento region know the sandwich makers' brand, they won't have to travel far to enjoy the East Coast-style cuisine. "We'd like to see Wicked 'Wich in airport terminals," said co-owner Chris Jarosz. "We feel we have a good brand and better options than some others. We'll keep pounding away and hope that fuel will take us to the next level." What started as a food truck in July 2011 was eventually expanded into a restaurant – Broderick Restaurant & Bar in West Sacramento in Fall 2012 – and is now making its way to a Downtown Plaza near you. Announced last week, Wicked 'Wic

Wicked 'Wich is set to open a brick-and-mortar eatery at Sacramento's Downtown Plaza early this spring. The restaurant, which started as a food truck, will offer gourmet sandwiches and cater to downtown's busy lunch and dinner crowds, according to a news release. "The mall is one of those places that we feel strongly that a product like the ‘Wich could do well,” said co-owner Marvin Maldonado. “We can offer something local, a unique product, something fast and even something healthy — like our BBQ tofu or our vegan selections. Like the food truck, the mall restaurant will continue to serve only locally sourced meats, vegetables, and breads from the Sacramento region.” On top of its sign

King Arthur’s Castle, a pirate ship setting and Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest were a great background for the third annual Moonlight Costume Ball held at Fairytale Town on Friday, Aug. 3. This year’s theme was “Men in Tights.” The event was held to raise funds to renovate Fairytale Town’s Sherwood Forest playset. Sharlene Lal-Hernandez, education and program manager at Fairytale Town, estimated that over 400 people attended the 21-and-over ball. The Mother Goose Theater served as a concert stage for the Celtic rock band Tempest. This prolific San Francisco-based group was formed in 1988, and has 15 CDs to their credit. Tempest continues to tour regularly and is currently on a West Coast

The Greens Hotel on Del Paso Boulevard hosted the first event of a summer series that will hopefully become a requisite Thursday evening activity for Sacramentans in-the-know. The REEL Bike-In Theater hosts an outdoor movie on the big screen every first and third Thursday through the end of October. The purpose of the event is two-fold: to give the creative minds of the city something fun to do on Thursday night and to work towards changing the stigma that has been placed upon the area of Del Paso Boulevard for so long. Indian Jones in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was up first. The hotel complex was the perfect place to start the cool down after an ultra-hot Sacramento day, and neighborhood

This just in from the California Mobile Food Association... what? Haven’t heard of them yet? You will. A large contingent of mobile food truck operators banded together to form a new nonprofit organization, according to a Tuesday night press release from the alliance's founders. The group, formally called the California Mobile Food Association (CalMFA) includes more than 20 area mobile food vendors. Their goal? “Creating a supportive ecosystem for local mobile food businesses, driving awareness for local communities/charities and representing the voice of local mobile food operators within Sacramento’s business community,” according to the release. President Chris Jarosz, owner of Wick

The people who brought you the Wicked ‘Wich food truck and The Greens “Artists-In-Residence” are organizing a free bike-in theater and film festival at The Greens Hotel on Del Paso Blvd. Heights , August through October. (Get it? Bike-in instead of drive-in?) REEL Bike-in Theater is an outdoor film series showcasing award-winning documentaries, acclaimed independent films and classic Hollywood hits like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Best in Show. Festival organizers are hoping the film series will attract the region’s strong biking community to the event. Sacramento cyclists are notoriously supportive of local businesses and are attracted to bike-friendly events. In addition to movies, at

Hot Italian along with Friends of Fremont Park  teamed up once again for the 2012 Hot Lunch Concert Series. The free concerts are held every Thursday from May 31 – August 30, 2012. The lunch time series is held from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Promoter Jerry Perry has put together a great package for the 2012 Hot Lunch concerts. This year’s opening line up started off with the Leonardo da Vinci Blues Band. The band is made up by 7th and 8th graders from the Leonardo da Vinci School, The da Vinci School players were joined on stage by Ned Hammad who is the school’s artist-in-residence. “I have been doing this with the school going on 10 years now and the organization is called I Can do T

It’s almost summer, and with the season comes the return of Concerts in the Park. Sacramentans of all varieties came out to Cesar Chavez Park on Friday for the first in the concert series that will continue through July. The crowd swelled in size as the sun set and music filled the air. Stage performers included bands Storytellers, Island of Black and White, and Arden Park Roots. DJ Shaun Slaughter provided dance beats and announcer Danny Secretion rallied the concert-goers between sets. Check out the free concerts every Friday from 5 - 9 p.m. this summer at Cesar Chavez park.

A weekly gathering of food trucks will kick off Thursday at Tognotti’s Auto World as Mini Burger Truck, Mama Kim on the Go and Drewski’s Hot Rod Kitchen hold the first event organized by the fledgling Sacramento Food Truck Alliance. The alliance formed about a month ago and is looking to be a self-policing organization for food trucks that will hold operators to a high level of service standards and host events in which alliance members can participate, said Davin Vculek, operating partner of Mini Burger Truck. “I encourage people to come check out (Thursday’s gathering),” Vculek said. “For the most part, I think citizens want this. For the people who have never given it a shot, come dow

The future of mobile food trucks in Sacramento was discussed Monday night at the first in what will likely be many meetings between mobile food vendors, “brick-and-mortar” restaurateurs, city leaders and advocacy groups. The meeting, held at The Kitchen restaurant, 2225 Hurley Way, was not open to the public, City Councilman Steve Cohn said Monday morning. An ordinance limiting food trucks to operating within the city to 30-minute stops has been contested more vehemently lately. The SactoMoFo mobile food festival April 30 drew an estimated 10,000 people, prompting a closer look at the ordinance. Several gourmet food trucks, including Mini Burger Truck and Wicked ’Wich, have recently beg

A “wicked” new presence is fast approaching the Sacramento food truck scene and bringing with it a broom-wielding, raven-haired witch, mounted LED television screens and towering, East Coast-inspired sandwiches. The Wicked ’Wich, as owners Tom Boerner, Chuck Hewitt and Chris Jarosz have dubbed their sandwich shop on wheels, has been in the planning stages for more than a year now and is finally ready to hit the streets. Each wicked sandwich, which includes a customer’s choice of meat, cheese, mild and spicy “potions” (condiments) and locally sourced produce, will be topped with crisp French fries and a heap of non-mayonnaise-based, house-made coleslaw that Jarosz described as “tangy, yet